It will be the poor Cardiff pitch that will make the headlines as both sides struggled on the substandard Swalec Stadium strip. The woeful wicket was inconsistent with some balls flying to the keeper and others keeping low with batsmen unsure of what to expect

Glamorgan’s quarter-final qualification dreams in the Royal London Cup were severely dented following a third 50-over successive defeat against Durham.

But it will be the poor Cardiff pitch that will make the headlines as both sides struggled on the substandard Swalec Stadium strip. The wicket was inconsistent with some balls flying to the keeper and others keeping low with batsmen unsure of what to expect with the wicket reported to the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Glamorgan bowled Durham out for 185 in 45 overs with Michael Hogan leading the way with three for 22 with David Lloyd recording figures of four for 10 in three overs, three of his wickets coming in one over, and spinner Dean Cosker weighing in with three for 33.

Only Glamorgan’s overseas opener Jacques Rudolph (61) looked comfortable as the hosts were skittled out for 133 with the Welsh county slumping to a heavy 52-run loss. Glamorgan have now won two and lost three matches with three games left.

Captain Mark Wallace (10) and James Harris (17) proved the only other batsmen to reach double figures. Will Bragg was first to go caught at point, Lloyd was bowled first ball and Jim Allenby was trapped behind in a treble wicket maiden for England seamer Graham Onions.

Murray Goodwin was dismissed lbw playing across the line to John Hastings and that became 53 for five when Cooke was caught behind off Stokes attempting to drive.

Wallace edged Paul Collingwood behind as the hosts slipped to 73 for six. Graham Wagg was bowled after being the victim of a short ball from Collingwood that did not lift off the ground to illustrate the strip’s shortcomings.

Rudolph brought up his 50 before his superb 99-ball innings end when he was caught behind from Collingwood’s bowling.

Onions bowled Cosker before Collingwood accounted for Harris as both bowlers finished with four wickets.

Earlier, Hogan had struck with his second delivery as captain Mark Stoneman edged to Wallace.

Phil Mustard and Callum Macleod rescued the situation and laid down a useful platform. But after the second wicket pair put on 101 in 23.3 overs, the innings rather unravelled as they lost five wickets in 10 overs.

Cosker started the slide was started by trapping Macleod before Hogan returned after his opening five-over spell conceded seven runs.

Hogan accounted for Mustard and Collingwood in consecutive overs before Cosker showed his experience by having Scott Borthwick leg before and Keaton Jennings.

England all rounder Ben Stokes put together a typically pugnacious innings striking three sixes on his way to 49 from 43 balls before becoming Lloyd’s first victim caught on the boundary by Hogan.

That was the start of Lloyd’s three-wicket over as John Hastings and Paul Coughlin were dismissed before Onions later edged to slip.

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